Herzog in the mOdern era

In 2017, several of the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation’s supporters and board members coordinated efforts to significantly amplify their involvement and take celebration of the Herzog legacy to a whole new level. That vision included a downstairs music store—fully stocked with new and used records, guitars, music accessories, repair services, and eye-catching merch branded by Neltner Small Batch.

Notably, that growth spurt allowed coordination with the non-profit to increase what had been sporadic community outreach and occasional educational events.

Kids Jams

By far the most successful events organized by Herzog Music, monthly “Kids Jams” offered free entertainment—come one, come all—with approximately two hours of programming tailored for toddlers and parents alike. Serving as a model of what could be possible in a revitalized King Records building, these events were a true investment in community outreach. Staffing, room preparation and cleanup, musician payment, engineer and equipment staff… even free Eli’s BBQ were all provided at no cost to anyone willing to join. To date, approximately 25 Kids Jams at Herzog have brought a cumulative total of over 2,000 people to the space.

Educational Events

There have also been a number of free and ticketed modern-era events that share some of the history about artists who recorded for King and/or at Herzog: Jimmie Skinner, “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” Delmore Brothers, “Funky Drummer” Clyde Stubblefield, and of course Hank Williams. At each of these events local musicians have come together in celebration and tribute.

New Recordings, Special Guests

Tape rolling! New recordings (and, yes, physical records too) have come out of the historic Herzog space in our modern era. Those records include artists like All-Seeing Eyes, Craig Fox of The Greenhornes, The Mortals, The Harmed Brothers, Tigerlilies, Sarah Asher Mann, Beverly Hills Supper Club, and more.

With Herzog Music amplifying the history of 811 Race, we soon noticed an uptick in special guests, visiting the site to pay respects and learn more about what happened here from 1945-55. Those guests include Marty Stuart, Chris Scruggs, Pokey LaFarge, members of The Wallflowers, William Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, Jon Wurster of Superchunk/Guided By Voices, and many others. To schedule your own private tour or space rental, simply reach out to us here.

In-store Performances

A number of free performances have not only added to store-level excitement, but were able to promote touring and regional artists while also shining a spotlight on the local venues they’d be performing at after their Herzog visit. Artists who have performed or made formal in-store appearances include Jeb Bush Orchestra, The Turbos, No Show Cadillac, Annie Bacon, Arbour Season, djpk, Randy Steele, Pretoria, New Van Goghs, Kyla Mainous, Floco Torres, Eric Wurzelbacher Trio, The Rightly So, Haunted Like Human … more than seventy different artists of every type from all over the country have visited 811 Race in the past few years to add their music to the building’s history.

Art Exhibits

Herzog Music and the Music Heritage Foundation also coordinated efforts to present photography exhibits. FotoFocus set the stage for what that second floor space could offer as an exhibition venue, and further weekend exhibits by local photographers Lisa Sullivan and Kenny Dunn brought hundreds to the space, generating revenue in the sale of artwork and visiting the “gift shop” on their way out.

Podcasts

Our popular “Lost on the River” podcast invited guests such as Evanston council members and King musicians to share their story with our online audience, and local artists like Lauren Eylise and The Tillers provided the tunes. What’s more, the iconic Ripley’s Believe It or Not! organization also records a number of “notcasts” from the second-floor space, bringing awareness of our building to an entirely new worldwide audience. Find links on the Herzog Music landing page to access those podcasts.

Music Clinics

Both musicians and spectators have enjoyed a number of free clinics, which included a closer look at alternate instrument tunings, discussion on the merits of different sound-shifting effects pedals, consideration of improvisational techniques, and “open mic” scenarios. These were key events in gathering local musicians for collaboration.

Panel Discussions

While everyone at Herzog loves to celebrate the recording sessions that took place from 1945-55, the mission of our nonprofit encourages exploration and discussion of all components of Cincinnati’s musical heritage. Numerous panel discussions--usually incorporating performances—took a look at greater Cincinnati’s punk legacy, the infamous Jockey Club, and our history in the post-punk landscape, as featured in the recently released “We Were Living In Cincinnati” compilation.

Online Engagement

With an extensive website in place, Herzog Music positioned itself to tell the King Records story—and that of other Cincinnati Music Heritage initiatives—with music fans around the world. To date, the Herzog Music website has had more than 16,000 visitors from every corner of the globe.

Other Events

We’ve also helped present other get-togethers and events—like 2018’s Blugrass show and jam session, presented in partnership with Appalachian Studies Association, Urban Appalachian Council, and ArtsWave. Don’t forget our 8-track tape swap, or the event devoted to bass player and their gear! That willingness to invest effort into curious concepts is at the core of our outreach and ongoing education, which we hope to continue.

Learn more and Get Involved

Join us in efforts to honor greater Cincinnati’s cultural heritage and to connect with a new generation in community outreach and support. To learn more and get involved, reach out to us here.